Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) captured the GI Matriarch S. with a hard-charging late rally at Del Mar Sunday, remaining unbeaten in 2018 and giving trainer Chad Brown his third
Grade I victory of the weekend. The chestnut filly was taken in hand soon after breaking from her outside post and was angled to the rail heading into the first turn with one horse beaten as Fahan Mura (English Channel) set the pace. The pacesetter was clearly in front through a half-mile in :46.29, while Uni had fallen well back in a strung-out field. Fahan Mura was still in front at the top of the lane, but her advantage looked to be short-lived with a host of challengers lined up on either side. Quidura (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) came away with the lead at midstretch, but was quickly overtaken by the surging Daddy is a Legend (Scat Daddy), who in turn was passed by the late-streaking Uni who drove powerfully down the center of the course to take over in the shadow of the wire.
“I could tell they were going a little quick up front, because my filly has some speed and we were far back,” said winning jockey Joel Rosario. “But she was comfortable, so I was too. I just wanted to make one move with her. About the three-furlong [pole], I could feel she was good under me. So we went outside and she went on with it. She's a nice one.”
Brown won Saturday's GI Cigar Mile at Aqueduct with Patternrecognition (Adios Charlie) and the GI Hollywood Derby with Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire})–also ridden by Rosario.
Uni opened her U.S. campaign for Brown and Head of Plains Partners, Bethlehem Stables and Michael Dubb with a third-place effort in last year's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational. After a runner-up effort in the GII Lake Placid S., she earned her first Stateside victory with a narrow score in the GII Sands Point S. and ended 2017 with a fourth-place effort in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. Uni entered Sunday's race with a perfect three-for-three 2018 record. She opened the year with a win in the Apr. 14 Plenty of Grace S. at Aqueduct and added the Aug. 4 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose S.at Saratoga. She was coming off a 3 3/4-length victory in the Sept. 22 GIII Noble Damsel S.
Pedigree Notes:
Haras d'Etreham purchased Unaided, with her first foal, Uni, in utero, for $230,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. Her colt by Le Havre (Ire) sold for €85,000 as a weanling at last year's Arqana December sale. The mare, who raced at two and three in Japan, is a half-sister to stakes winner Whazzat (GB) (Daylami {Ire}), dam of multiple group winner James Garfield (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), as well as to group winner Whazzis (GB) (Desert Prince {Ire}). Uni's third dam, Eljazzi (Artaius) produced Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}), dam of Group 1 winner Invincible Spirit (Ire) (Green Desert). This is also the family of group winner and multiple Group 1 placed Gustav Klimt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Sunday, Del Mar
MATRIARCH S.-GI, $302,760, Del Mar, 12-2, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:34.35, fm.
1–UNI (GB), 123, f, 4, by More Than Ready
1st Dam: Unaided (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Wosaita (GB), by Generous (Ire)
3rd Dam: Eljazzi, by Artaius
1ST GRADE I WIN. (€40,000 Ylg '15 ARAUG). O-M. Dubb, Head
of Plains Partners LLC, R. LaPenta, & Bethlehem Stables LLC;
B-Haras d'Etreham (GB); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Joel Rosario.
$180,000. Lifetime Record: SW-Fr, 14-7-3-2, $892,880.
Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Daddy Is a Legend, 120, f, 3, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Randie's Legend, by Benchmark
2nd Dam: Eternal Legend, by Gold Legend
3rd Dam: Eternal Search, by Northern Answer
'TDN Rising Star' ($140,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV; $160,000 Ylg '16
KEESEP). O-Jim & Susan Hill; B-HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC
(PA); T-George Weaver. $60,000.
3–Quidura (GB), 123, m, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Quetena (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
2nd Dam: Quebrada (Ire), by Devil's Bag
3rd Dam: Queen to Conquer, by King's Bishop
($3,600,000 4yo '17 FTKNOV). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Stiftung
Gestut Fahrhof (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. $36,000.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 5.60, 27.70, 7.60.
Also Ran: Vasilika, Dona Bruja (Arg), Rymska (Fr), Mission Impassible (Ire), Excellent Sunset (Ire), Insta Erma, Valadorna, Luminoso, Fahan Mura, Mopotism. Scratched: Ms Bad Behavior.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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